Fly reels for trout fishing serve two main roles: To hold your fly line and backing and to have a drag capable of tiring out a fish during a fight. Pairing the right reel with your fly rod will help ...

In theory, fly-fishing is a simple sport: Pick a body of water, choose a fly-fishing rod, select your “fly” (or bait), tie a secure knot, cast your line and, hopefully, land a fish on the other end.

Fly reels used to play second fiddle to rods, at least in the fly-fishing world. Volumes have been written about the nuances of bamboo, fiberglass, and graphite fly rods. But the reel? “It’s just a ...